Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-03-18
State AFFAIRS.
Mr. Johnson of Smith County Gives
Some Reasons Why the Lease
Law is Unconstitutional,
EG8eati0nGi Committee Reads 10 Re-
D0rt-Seaate Substitute Land BIZ
still Before The House.
.ho House Discusses a substitute for tbs
E4Il Regarding the Enforcement
OF the Revenue Laws.
A SUBSTITUTE BELI

A SUBSTITUTE BILL.
special to the Gazette.
ACsTIg, Tex. March I7.-Mr. Moore Of
Travis during the morning session offered
substitute FOR the bill that provides for
agents to be appointed to aid in the en-
forcement Of the revenue laws of the
state relating to the sale of liquors. The
substitute differs from the original bill
IN this that it abOiishes the special agent
feature and requires the officers Of the
counties TO procure their information
from the revenue departments Of the
United States, and returns the venue of
the prosecutions In the counties where
the Cfenses are charged to have
been committed. This opened 9D the
entire question connected with the en-
torcement OF the occupation taxes i'm
posed upon liquor dealers. The sup
porters of the original bill attacked the
substitute upon the ground that The state
officials had 10 right 10 demand informa-
tiCn from the federal government officials,
aud 1t would therefore leave it optional
with these officials 10 furnish the desired
data. They also urged that statistics
from the CJmp5rOiler's Office showed that
the state vas defTauQed # its lawful rev
enue in the large cities of the state, either
from the neglect of local officers to enforce
the laws or the sympathy If the iuries
with the accused by reason CT local
Influences that caused them to render
partial VerdiCts. Those favOIing the sub
stitute and opposed 10 the original till
argued that the lay proposed by the
original III VAS unjust, liz thai IL imposed
5GTdepSCme tex upon those counties
charged with these prosecutions ~ here il
would be necessary fOr the grand iuries
tu remain IN session to secure witnesses
from other COunjee, ana also taxing the
counties with the ezra 'Xp1nSa of irving
cases that were properly C5arEa5le 10 the
counties where The cf-Lses we're
committed: 5urtS5r, tha. the appoint
ment f eg,HtS 81 provided by
the original 5..i was obnoxious
10 the PRINCIPALS q good government,
which in effect 9vgU.d create lucrative
Offices fOr ( !or7 men VINO would neces-
saIily be dependant for their information
upon the ell ment they were set TO watch,
winch would NOS Gauge the results, but
only add t. the expenses.
The substitute Wa5 adopted, with aQ
amendment If red 10 the fiec5 that 8
failure by the collectors 70 comply with
their duties under the provisions of the
act subjected tuem f. the same fine that
is i'm ,Ostd or the liquor dealers,
ard the Possession Of the United
Ststes revenue license by the
liquor dealers sh8ll be prima
tacie evidence against both dealer and tax
collector for 8 vicI -tion # the state Cccu-
patton tax.
THE SENATE SUBSTITUTE LAND BILL.
When the hUuT arrived Tor special Or
ders the arguments were resumed IN the
House upon the question Il adopting the
Senate substitute fCr the House land bill.
Mr.. Browning being entitled 20 the floor,
concluded his argument IN opposition to
the lease ltw feature Of the bill on the
ground that it was detrimental 10 the set
Element Of the northwest and opposed to
the best Interests OF the state.
Mr. Moore cf Trayi:, speaking In favor
Of the hil, took the position
that the oppoIents Of the bill were
not consistent, and were misrep-
reseuting the interests of their people,
especially Mr.. Browning, who was OPP
posing what be claimed to be the wishes
Of the cattlemtn If mis- district. He also
made strong argument in traversing
the constitutional objections raised by
the opposition, claiming that there being
no inhibition il the constitution the
Legislature had g right TO voice the
choice Of the people In matters concern
ing the proper land p9licv 70 he adopted